Back in September 2017, Apple announced a wireless charging mat called AirPower. It was being touted as a device that will be able to wirelessly juice up three devices, such as an iPhone, an Apple Watch, and AirPods simultaneously. Later on, rumors started doing rounds that the project has been scrapped and Apple confirmed this on March 29. However, a new patent hints that the Cupertino giant could be working on a similar device.
Apple Might Have Started Working on a Wireless Charging Mat From Scratch
The AirPower was apparently canceled because of engineering and manufacturing issues. It seems like the company has decided to start anew. The idea seems to be the same but perhaps the approach will be different to ensure that such a product is feasible. According to the patent description, the device will have a receiving coil and rectifier circuitry for getting power and it will be able to charge multiple devices. The devices being charged will also display the charge status.
Of course, companies like Apple file for numerous patents every year, and we have no way of knowing if this idea will be pursued. When the AirPower was shelved, Apple’s SVP of hardware engineering Dan Riccio had said that the product was not up to their standards but that the manufacturer still believes that the future is wireless, suggesting that there could be numerous prototypes still being tested behind closed curtains.
The two main issues that Apple reportedly ran into were overheating and signals that were more powerful than what the U.S. and European standards would have allowed. Perhaps it might help if the company reduces the number of coils on the mat but that might also interfere with its ability to charge three devices at once, and in any orientation.
For now, Apple fans who were eagerly awaiting AirPower will have to do with the upcoming iPhones, which will reportedly support bilateral wireless charging. The company is going to announce the new lineup on September 10, but the AirPower wireless charging mat isn’t going to be a part of the product range. Let us hope that next year, there’s some positive info surrounding the wireless charging accessory.
The post AirPower Dream for Apple Might Be Alive & Kicking as Company May Be Working on a New Iteration by Omar Sohail appeared first on Wccftech.
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